JC's Blog

National Napping Day

by JC Burton,posted Mar 11 2013 3:32PM

Today Is National Napping Day

March 11 is “National Napping Day,” created by Boston University professor William Anthony, Ph.D. and his wife Camille in 1999. They created the “holiday” to advertise the benefits of napping during the workday, even if it’s just for 10 or 20 minutes.

Six main benefits of napping:

Napping Boosts Alertness -- Even 20-minute naps have been shown to perk up shift workers, according to Harvard Men's Health Watch.

Napping Improves Learning And Memory -- MRI scans have shown that brain activity remains higher in nappers all day compared to people who don't take a rest.

Napping Increases Creativity -- Health.com reported that napping researchers discovered a burst of activity in the right hemisphere, the side most strongly linked to creativity, after napping.

Napping Boosts Productivity -- Sleep researcher Sara Mednick told Businessweek that a nap can lead to a higher boost in productivity than an afternoon cup of coffee.

Napping Zaps Stress -- The National Sleep Foundation recommends a 10-minute "mini-vacation" nap. It doesn’t even matter if you don’t doze off: A 2007 study found that asleep or not, a short period spent resting in bed is just as relaxing.